'RHOP' Star Mia Thornton and Estranged Husband Sued for Not Paying Their Rent
Updated Feb. 5 2024, 1:09 p.m. ET
It has long been said that reality TV can take a toll on couples. Over the years we’ve watched RHONY’s Ramona and Mario Singer divorce and RHOBH’s Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi go their separate ways. RHOP’s Ashley and Michael Darby also split up.
And unfortunately, things went south for RHOP stars Mia Thornton and Gordon Thornton, too. What's the latest update on the Bravolebrities? Here's what we know.
Mia and Gordon Thornton are not officially divorced, but they quietly separated in June 2023.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live in December 2023, Mia told host Andy Cohen that the couple quietly separated in June 2023, but didn't go public with the news until September 2023. Noting the decision was "mutual," Mia said: “I just think it’s just a sequence of events over the past couple of years that put a strain on a marriage."
She explained that Gordon's financial struggles also played a role in the split.
For those not in the know, Gordon owns multiple franchises of The Joint Chiropractic, where Mia joined him as a regional developer for the company. (Gordon also owned McDonald’s franchises from 1993 until 2012 when he became president, owner, and CEO of Giselle Executive Management.)
Per the Joint Chiropractic website, Gordon and his brother, Marvin Thornton, own eight clinics across the Washington, D.C. area. The business was initially started by Gordon, who previously was a multi-unit franchise owner with Massage Envy before investing in the company. As for Marvin, he retired after 28 years in the military and accepted Gordon’s invitation to run the business.
But in a now-deleted Instagram post from Oct. 6, 2022, Mia shared that Gordon’s brothers were “revoking his access to the company’s bank accounts” and withholding her paychecks due to her loyalty to Gordon. This alleged shady deed went down while Mia and Gordon were out of the country, and really put a strain on the couple's financials.
During the RHOP season 7 reunion in February 2023, Mia even revealed they were “literally living off our savings.”
Mia and Gordon Thornton were sued for not paying their rent in January 2024.
Although Mia and Gordon Thornton have separated, neither party has filed for divorce yet.
However, that doesn't mean they're not embroiled in legal action together. According to Maryland public records, their landlord filed a civil suit against the couple on Jan. 18, 2024, for failure to pay rent for their property in North Bethesda, Md. The former husband and wife are slated to stand trial for it on March 27, 2024.
How long were Mia and Gordon Thornton together?
Mia and Gordon first met at a strip club in 2003. It's unclear when they first started dating, but they married in March 2012. They welcomed two children together, son Jeremiah Carter and daughter Juliana. They also each have one child from their previous marriages. Mia is 32 years younger than Gordon.
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
